WH: Chinese stalling on U.S. athlete

Here’s the update on efforts to get U.S. speedskater Joey Cheek admitted into China after authorities there revoked his visa, presumably because of his outspoken criticism of Beijing’s human rights abuses.

The White House said on Thursday there is nothing new to add, and expressed frustration at the lack of progress.

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“As I said yesterday, we démarched our Ambassador in Beijing to express our concern and complaint, and to ask that the Chinese reconsider this. I don’t have an update, though,” said White House press secretary Dana Perino, to reporters traveling with President Bush in Bangkok.

“It’s slower than we would like, but — and they’re actually running out of time to be able to rectify it, but we continue to press them,” Mrs. Perino said.